Interfor's Castlegar mill to re-open

It's official!

Interfor is gearing up to re-open its Castlegar mill this summer, according to Interfor chief forrester Ric Slaco.

“We are preparing for a potential July start-up of the mill on a reduced operating basis,” he said.

Slaco was not available to comment further as to why this start-up is possible and whether the city's new major industry tax policy was a factor (watch future Source stories for more details), but Castlegar mayor Lawrence Chernoff said he thinks it had to be part of the mix.

“Sure, I would say the city's efforts to reduce major industry taxation played a role – everything plays a role in that kind of decision,” he said, adding he's thrilled by the news.

“It's a huge step forward to get the mill operational,” he said. “You've got to be excited about that.

“I know I'm excited about seeing jobs back in the community, and locals being able to go back to work.”

The former Pope and Talbot facility, just outside of Castlegar, was purchased by Interfor in the fall of 2007, just before a recession that saw international wook prices plummet, leading to the 2008 shutdown.
 

Ed Note: In a later interview, The Source asked Slaco whether city taxations shifts played a role in the decision to re-open, and he had this to say:

“Everything helps – it (the municipal tax reduction) wasn't a huge dollar figure for us, but it is a sign and a signal of change,” he said. “It was appreciated by us, and a move in the right direction.”

He said that, for Interfor, a larger concern is taxation on capital improvements.